Brittany Wallace, Religious or Spiritual

Webster’s dictionary defines religion as, “the service and worship of God or the supernatural commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance”. Spirituality is defined as, “of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena; of, relating to, or involving spiritualism”. What does it truly mean to be spiritual versus being religious? The lines between both have become increasingly blurred through the years to the point that today they are used interchangeably. Many Americans today, regard spirituality as a mere construct of religion. However despite the blurred understanding between the two, spirituality and religion are not the same. One can be a spiritual person but not a religious one.
Essentially spirituality came first. Before legitimized established religions took flight, people were spiritual beings that believed in something bigger than life and death. This notion of something more is what spirituality is all about. Spirituality implies a broader sense of freedom. Religion knows boundaries, while spirituality does not. When defining spirituality it includes everything from the environment, relationships, astrology, animals- pretty much every and anything except for God. For many self declared scientifically focused people, spirituality means walking to work one day and encountering a serendipitous event.
Because of spirituality’s ability to transcend boundaries and invoke a more individual practice many criticize it. Unlike religion one can practice spirituality in the comfort of their own home, there is no pressured groups, meetings, mass, or worship to attend. Furthermore this leads a less socialized person and someone more focused inwardly instead of outwardly, according to critics. However its not about ones connection with others but rather it’s about one’s connection to life and their definition of happiness. One’s religious life is more obvious to an outsider than one’s spirituality. Religion is almost worn around, but spirituality is much less detectable and leaves room for individual interpretation. When one thinks about a Catholic it’s hard to not simply fall victim to the social stereotypes of what it means to be a catholic.